Friday, October 31, 2008

What I Had For LINNER: I'm No Shepherd, But I Like Pie!

So, yesterday I was about to make soup when I decided to make Shepherd's Pie. Someone brought it up a few weeks ago and then someone else brought it up very close to that ... then it just stuck in my head. We used to kill it growing up, but barely repeated meals so when we did have it for dinner, boy was it a treat. Anyway, I ran out and got a coupla veggies that weren't in my fridge and I went to work. I'm a one pan type person, so I browned the beef layer, then sauteed the veggie layer in the same pan. But once I was done there was so much love left in my work-horse pan by way of bits of veggies and beef flavored stuff, that I decided to go left and use up some mushrooms I had in the fridge and made an onion, garlic, mushroom and red wine gravy. The red wine was leftover too, so it made me happy to clear out some stuff. That's what I put on the bottom of the plate before I scooped out the pie, so even though this may look hectic, boy was it yummy.

(my food is reppin' brooklyn :-P )

I boiled the potatoes in salted water with a few cloves of garlic and mashed it all up with lots of butter and cream ... very very baaaad cook teeheehee. I just love the crunch the mash gets when cooked on top of everything in the oven. I may use this recipe on one of the 13 shows I have to tape in the near future, but I think the gravy may be taken out because it isn't really traditional and it's a bit of food overkill. Then again, it may make the cut, who knows until I get closer to planning the episodes with the producers. The best thing is we actually try to capture how I really eat and cook at home, so this is really an easy process.

Ok, I have some work to do today, just wanted to say hi and wish you a good weekend. My bf (blog friend) Food Network Addict, has some dates on Thanksgiving specials on Food Network posted, if you are a Tivo/DVR person, head on over and take a look so you can make plans to spend the holidays with us.Have a great weekend!

houstonmacbro, thanks. just had it for lunch w/o the gravy (i only made enough for last night). i actually forgot to say i added a layer of havarti cheese in the middle of the meat layer on just half of the dish. i wanted to see if it would taste like i thought, it was yummy. so the recipe is still in development, hit me up when i say i'm back in production and i'll email the final to ya. and dude, british food is bloody good! 2 of my fave places here in nyc serve british fare. "a salt and battery" and "the spotted pig"

sharon, thanks! yeah, butter and cream make it all good, i had like 1/4 cup extra after i mashed and said oh heck and poured in the rest. you can almost never have enough, right? i can't wait to start back up again. before i do, there will still be new shows to air that i taped in july. there's good winter stuff and holiday meals, so i hope you like them.

Hey Sunny, I wrote about a dish called Poutine awhile back ( http://thehoustonmacbro.blogspot.com/2008/10/have-you-ever-eaten-poutine-get-your.html). It sounds a LOT like what you made, but prepared a little differently. They eat Poutine a lot in Toronto and it has very similar ingredients (cheese, gravy, some sort of meat generally --chicken I think- and potatoes and peas). Are you familiar with it?

Hi Sunny.Happy Halloween! It's been awhile since I stopped by. Glad to see all is good. Ohh. I love Sheperds pie..heck anything with mashed taters is great!I'm making a chicken pot pie for a potluck dinner tonight.. :o)It is rainy in San Francisco..and I'm trying to fight off a cold. Take care, have a safe night..enjoy your treats!

That looks gooood.. I want some lol. I was never was exposed to Shepard's Pie until I worked for Sea World last year and we had it in the cafeteria every week and I loved it when I tried it.. Call me weird, but I put hot sauce on mine:)

Happy Halloween! BTW, what is your position on Candy Corn? Gross or the best seasonal candy ever??? :) Personally, it is the highlight of fall for me.

Hey Sunny. I'm a divorced guy who has been living on my own for about 2 years and eating out was growing old fast. I recently started fooling around in the kitchen and started watching the food network. I love your show and your upbeat personality and have gotten some great ideas. You make cooking seem so easy and fun and thats the way I wanted it. Not a chore. Anyway, looking forward to seeing more of you and your cooking. Keep up the great job!!!

Hey you - happy Monday. Um, when are the new episodes airing. I'm loving the repeats - but I'm a fan from day 1 - so I've seen them all at least two or three times.

You know what's becoming another great show I like - that secrets of a restaurant chef show. I can't think of the woman's name right now (it's Monday) BUT she's HILARIOUS! She made spaghetti and said the water had to taste like the sea...she tasted it and the face she made from it being "shockingly" salty was HILARIOUS. I replayed that one part like 4 times.

houstonmacbro, poutine you say? funny thing is i was researching it just about 3 months ago ... i have a penchant for gravy and fries and was asked by the network to do a recipe for a quick appetizer ... i said gravy and fries and said it like "i know it isn't sexy or cool, but it's good" and they were like ... sounds like poutine to us! so anyway, the recipe wasn't used, my bar nut palmiers were, but poutine is on the list of things to do! cool stuff. gonna read your post, thanks!

alex, backatcha ... taters make it all good

complaint dept. mgr., i think i may be a rebel and just go full steam ahead with the gravy added on man, i'll use your backing as my impetus ... ate like 6 snickers this wknd, snack size teeheehee

melody, no prob ... the recipe is due to be on soon, actually prolly not since i haven't taped it yet ... gimme a few weeks and time to solidify the amounts and get it exact and i'll send it over to you if you remind me and gimme your email addy.

eric, sea world is killin it in the cafeteria, huh?! and guess what? you are soooo not weird ... we alllllllways top it with hot sauce. that's actually what i'm working on now, the right amount of heat in the beef or veggie layer so you won't want the hot sauce ... but i do like the cold of it sometimes, so cooking it in, may not be the answer. buffering ....

bill, i'm glad you watch the show, thanks for the compliments. yeah eating out can be boring and costly, plus they serve so much you feel you have to either eat it or take it home and make it better in the rerun. i really began cooking for myself for that and many other reasons. glad you've found the show. all my stuff is easy, i am just like you ... a home cook and all i want is for people to get in the kitchen and cook. maybe try something new or try a new twist on an old recipe. sorry to hear about the divorce, but a dude that cooks is a bonus, make sure to let your dates know when you get back on the market :-)

mahoganydymond, welcome to the blog and thanks for watching! yu can get these things from "morning star" called beef crumbles, they are totally vegetarian and taste JUST like beef, i've used them just like beef in many dishes, also the sausage crumbles by the same brand taste jusssst like sausage. look around and give em a try. and when you get a chance, have some of that good south carolina hash on rice for me ... miss it.

dtdub, anne burrell is her name (good monday mornin), and i like her show too. such enthusiasm from a chef is great! often times us home cooks get picked on for being happy to cook, so it is great to see someone with more formal training let loose a bit and enjoy herself. she is a true delight in person as well. for some, happy home cooks all get put in one corner, and nobody puts baby in a corner! lol ok, new episodes soon, i'll get the dates today and post em. i think they were holding them to last during the holidays. or to see if my reruns have any life? lot's of stuff above my head i'm sure teeheehee

real live lesbian, welcome to the blog! yeah the cold is making me do 'stick to your bones' meals these days. don't see a salad in sight teeheehee ... glad you found me, take a look around and come back often. i'm here most days and try to post regularly. & thanks so much for watching!

Um - you coming to Chicago? If you come to my house I will crap in my pants...for real. YOu're a superstar - you have no idea how I look at you. You're talking about star struck...I'd pass out...literally. I mean, what could I even cook for you that would meet your standards. I have a hard time deciding on a meal for the food blog - if you come - Lord, I'd have NOOOOO IDEA what to cook.

Anyway - that chicken...that's all you! You know why - because i have a can of clabber girl in my cabinet for thickening sauces...and frying chicken! AMEN for the extra crunch - lol!

And alright for the REAL foodie in you coming out. I was waiting on someone to notice the cast iron skillet cornbread that I made the dressing with...I always knew I could count on you!

dtdub, you are crazy. when you meet me, hopefully you will notice just how human i am. i get food stuck in my teeth, i dribble on my shirt when i eat, i talk with my mouth full ... notice i'm talkin about food, i want that plate!! teeheehee. no really, i. want. that. plate. :-) and you know i'm a cast iron fan!